3 Simple Ways To Stay Healthy and Happy at Home

Hi friends! I can’t believe May is already here and with it brings another month of staying quarantined inside here in NYC. I’m not sure about you, but I finally feel like I’ve adapted to this “new normal.” At first I felt like I needed to establish a brand new routine in order to stay healthy and sane. I’m so used to being on the go, running around the city to different fitness studios and taking advantage of NYC’s plethora of healthy cafes, that this time inside has been an adjustment. Instead of abandoning the healthy habits I’ve built up over the years, I’ve simply shifted them to work indoors.

As we move into a new month and season, it’s a great time to re-evaluate our habits and make simple changes to be as healthy as possible. Here are a few things that have been helping me and I hope will help you as well!

Make Sure You Have Quick, Nourishing Meals On Hand

One way to ensure you’re getting a healthy balanced diet is to make sure you stock your fridge/freezer and pantry with the right ingredients. As much as my husband and I love cooking (well mostly my husband loves it lol) we both grow tired of the never ending pile of dishes and the time it takes to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. Enter the newest addition to my routine and something I’ve been appreciating SO much during this quarantine period: Daily Harvest

If you’ve been following me for a while the fact that I love Daily Harvest shouldn’t be a surprise. I mentioned them a few years ago in THIS blog post! I’m excited to share that even though the smoothie cups are still their core offering, they have expanded to include Harvest Bowls, Soups, Bites, and Oats. You can customize your box to include any combination of superfood recipes that you want!

Let’s take a peep at the ingredients in the Cherry + Almond smoothie:

What makes Daily Harvest so convenient is that no matter what recipes you choose, they are incredibly simple to prepare. Take the smoothies for example. All you have to do is pour the frozen ingredients from the cup into your blender, add your favorite plant-based milk, and blend! Once you’re done you can even add it back into the cup to spare yourself the extra dishes.

I’ve made the Harvest Bowls several times for lunch and usually jazz it up with an additional protein like an egg, tofu or grilled salmon. But honestly they’re perfectly delicious and filling on their own.

How good does this Sweet Potato + Wild Rice Hash (with added kale) look? It made for a delicious lunch with the Cherry + Almond Smoothie.

Aside from saving me time, I really appreciate that all of their cups are pre-portioned with organic, wholesome ingredients. This means there is no unnecessary food waste and you don’t end up with leftovers that you won’t eat. If you’re thinking of giving it a try I’ve hooked you up with a discount! You can save $25 off your first box with code: HEADSTANDSANDHEELS

SHOP THESE RECIPES:

Get Creative and Stay Connected

One thing I’ve appreciated during this time indoors is that it’s given me the opportunity to go back to my old hobbies. I just finished re-reading all 4000+ pages of the Harry Potter series, I have a weekly “art hour” with a friend, I’ve gotten into doing daily dances (on TikTok) and I’ve been getting back to playing the piano. These moments of creativity, especially when they involve virtual hangouts with friends have been so therapeutic!

If you need some inspiration on creative ways to stay connected with friends, be sure to check out THIS blog post. Whether you choose to host a virtual happy hour, workout together over ZOOM, or have an at-home spa day over Skype, there are so many ways to have fun together.

Daily Movement

Since we aren’t advised to go for long walks everyday and studios are closed, it’s so important to build a home workout routine. I used to believe that nothing could really replace being in a fitness studio, but after a month of doing at home workouts I’ve really surprised myself at how effective they are!

If you can’t commit to a full length workout, try quick 10 min exercises a few times daily (think squats while watching tv or 50 jumping jacks at your desk). Or if you are like me and want someone to guide you through a full 30-60min workout, there are plenty of online fitness classes at your disposal. Be sure to check out THIS roundup of some of my favorite virtual fitness programs that can help you find a bit of movement everyday.

In many ways this time inside has taught me so much about the power of slowing down, developing a healthy home environment, and staying connected with the people I love. My hope is that even after life goes “back to normal” that I’ll be able to take many of these healthy habits with me and continue to keep them as part of my routine.

In the meantime, I hope you all stay safe and build your own healthy routine while staying inside.